Moray man fractured partner’s eye socket after incident at Mosstodloch home, Elgin Sheriff Court hears

A man who punched his former partner in the face, fracturing her eye socket, has been ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

Liam Thomson, 23, appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court following an incident at a property he shared with his partner and their children in Mosstodloch.

The court heard that Thomson’s partner had attempted to wake him up at around 8.30am to help care for their children.

When he refused, she asked him to leave. Instead, she left but was followed by Thomson who “struck her in the eye with a closed fist”.

The court heard how this caused “extreme swelling” with a visit to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin later confirming that she had a small fracture to her eye socket.

Thomson was later traced, cautioned and charged.

Defence solicitor Grant Daglish told the court that his client accepts responsibility for the incident but had limited memory of it due to an undiagnosed mental health issue which Thomson claims causes him to have blackouts.

“There is clearly something with him with regards to mental health that needs to be explored,” Mr Daglish said.

The court also heard that the incident was Thomson’s second domestic offence.

Sheriff David Harvie, addressing Thomson directly, said: “You have previously attended boxing classes.

“If you punch someone, you could kill them.

“This isn’t your first time and I want to be really clear that a custodial sentence is a real option here.”

Thomson was placed under two and a half years of supervision and ordered to complete a programme for domestic violence offenders.

He was also sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within six months.

A non-harassment order was imposed, preventing Thomson from contacting his former partner for 18 months, with an exception allowing child care arrangements to be made through a third party.